The new majority.

"But then you had another Negro out in the field. The house Negro was in the minority. The masses--the field Negroes were the masses. They were in the majority. When the master got sick, they prayed that he'd die. If his house caught on fire, they'd pray for a wind to come along and fan the breeze"

Sadly, this might have been true in 1963 when brother Malcolm gave that speech, but the field Negro is no longer in the majority here in America. That distinction now belongs to the house Negro. Yes, the field Negroes were the masses when X gave that historic speech, but that was a different time.

Malcolm X gave that speech when America was on the verge of making great strides in civil rights and towards social justice. The masses could be counted on to fight for justice and equal rights, and to take to the streets if they had to. Negroes in the fields were sick and tired of living in an unequal society and they were willing to put in the work to bring about change.

Not anymore. If you tell a Negro now that we should march for social or economic justice he or she would look at you like you were smoking sherm. "March!? Nigger you must be crazy. The only thing I am marching for is a big screen TV or some p*&&y!" The house Negro is happy in A-merry-ca, he is cool with the status quo. And why shouldn't he be? The poorest house Negro in America is living better than some of the wealthier Negroes in Third World countries. He can eat in the same restaurants with the white man, date the white man's daughter, and live in the same neighborhood if he can afford it.The house Negro has arrived.

Now don't get it twisted; you Negroes have a history of being apathetic when it comes to things that should be important to you. But back in the day they had dynamic leaders and enough field Negroes to pull the rest of you Negroes kicking and screaming to the front lines of the numerous battles that were being fought.

That is no longer the case. There are just too many distractions to keep Negroes happy and content in the house these days.

Oh well, maybe the Xbox folks can come up with a new civil rights game. Hey, at least that would be a start.

*Pic courtesy of Jeff Winbush